Gearing for laundry machinery.



A. B. CHRISTENSEN 8; F. VONDRASEK. GEARING FOR LAUNDRY MAGHICINBRY. APPLIOATION FILED AP11.17,1911.

1,025,684, Patented May 7, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. B. CHRISTENSEN & P. VONDRASEK.

GEARING FOR LAUNDRY MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1911.

25 4 Patented May 7, 1912.

V 4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A. B. GHRISEIBNSEN & F. 'VONDRASEK. GEAR ING FOR LAUNDRY MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1911. 1,025,684. I Patented May 7, 1912.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

, @FF'wQ h'indmsek, Z $4 UNITED PATENT OFFICE;

ANDREW B. CHRISTENSEN AND FRANK VONDRASEK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS-

SIGNORS TO THE THISTIJZE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

GEARING FOR LAUNDRY MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1912.

Application filed April 17, 1911. Serial No. 621,734.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW B. (inns- TENSEN and Fnann Vonnnasnn, citizens of the United States, residing at- Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gearing for Laundry Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gearing for laundry machinery and more particularly to improvements in gearing for thatclass of laundry machinery wherein is embodied gearing between the point of application of power thereto and a clothes stirrer located within a tub, and in addition thereto gearing between the point of application of the power and an associated auxiliary device. such as a wringcr, mangle or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple, efficient and c m1paratively noiseless and light running apparatus of this type.

Another object is to provide means where; by the washing mechanism and auxiliary laundry mechanism maybe operated either by hand or by power.

Another object is to provide gearing that may be readily applied to the ordinary clothes wringer. mangle or the like, without the necessity of changing the construction of such wringcr. mangle or the like.

Another object is to provide gearing whereby the process of washing may be carricd on simultaneously with that of wringing or drying the washcd clothes. and having reversing mechanism incorporated therewith whereby the wringcr or othc auxiliary device may be run in either direction at will.

With these and other objccts and advantages in view. this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hcrcinaftcr set forth and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearlyillustrated in the drawings furnishcd herewith. in which Figure l is a side elevation of the preferred form of an apparatus embodying our invention with thc fly \vhccl partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof with certain gcar casings removed to illustrate gearing which would otherwise be hidden from view and with a certain chute partly broken away to show parts underneath the same, Fig. 3 is a view. partly in plan and partly in horizontal section. of a motor support and two of the legs of the washing machine tub, the sec tion being taken on the line 3- in Fi 1-. Fig. l is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a iew partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, the line of section being indicated at 5-5 in' Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a detail side ele tion of a reversing mechanism for the wringer or mangle with its supporting b acket shown in section. the line of section being indicated at 6 6 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of parts seen in Fig. 6 with the supporting frame in vertical section. the line of section being indicated at 7? in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a gear casing employed atthc reversing gear. Fig. 9 is a.detail vertical section taken on the line 99 of Fig. (iQFig. '10 is a detail side ele'ation of a gear supporting frame. Fig. 11 is a detail vertical section taken on line 11l1 Fig. 2, Fig. 12 is adctail vcrtical sec- .tion of a wringcr board and a fragmcnt of the tub. the line of section bcing indicated at 12-12 Fig. 2. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a. modificd form of power transmitting mechanism. and Fig. it is a horizontal section taken on the line li it of Fig. 13.

Referring to said drawings 15. represents a tub of ordinary construction supported upon legs '16. and having a cover or lid 17. for closing its uppcr end. which cover or lid is hinged to the top of thc tub by hinges 18. 'lhc lid is hold in lockcd position upon the tub by a catch lli". pivoted to the upper side of a gear supporting framc 30. and arranged to bc swung ovcr a tonguc 2 -3. of a gear sup porting frame 23. and underneath a hook 230. of thc frame-3t thumb screw -10. thrcadcd in thc catchand bcaring upon the tongue. operates to' securely hold the lid in closcd position. \Yithin thc tub is a clothes roeker member tal shaft 26, that; bears a pinion 27, upon its naled upon the stud shaft 535, beyond the inner end, meshing with the pinion 21. Said tight. pulley 43, and held in place on the shaft bears upon its outer end a pinion 29.

that meshes with a gear segment 29% of a rocker .l'nember 29; fulcrumed upon the frame 30, which is secured to the body of the tub. The exact form of pivotal. eonneetion between the rocker member and frame 30. is of course in'nnaterial, and is here shown as eomprising a bearing aperture in the rocker member turning upon a stud 231. which Dr j ets out from the frame 30. The is shown in the form of a casting having the gait segment 29 and a handle socket 32*. integral therewith. the Socket being arranged to receive and support a. handle It. evidentfrom the foregoing that a rotary reciprocating motion may be imparted to the stirrer by roeking the roeker memher back and forth upon its fulcrum. and

the gearing thus far deseribed is preferably so arranged that movement of the gear segment through one complete. forward or backward stroke will turn the heater about 270 degrees.

1 l i t l 1 Means are provided for storing up part of i the energy expended in driving the stirrer l by hand. and utilizing said stored up energy to facilitate the work. and as shown said means eomprises. in general. a fly wheel 34. journaled upon a stud shaft 535. 'n'ojeeting out from the frame 30, and speed inereasing gearing comprising a pinion 36. secured upon the hub 37. of the'tly wheel and meshing with a large gear whee 37, fast upon a shaft. 38. journaled in r forn'ied. upon the frame 30. The rocker n'iei'nber is operatively connected to an element of the speed im-reasing gearing. as by alink 40. which is shown as secured upon wrist pins it. l9. carried by the rocker mem ber and gear wheel 3T.respeetively. The parts are so proportioned that a forward and backward stroke of the rocker member will make one complete revolution of the. gair wheel and drive the fly wheel at a comparatively high rate of speed. l prefer to make the pinion 3t of brass or composition so as to reduce the noise usuallymaused between rapidly revolving intermeshing f ars. although this is not ahst'ilutely essential.

Means are provided whereby the \netl11\-- bearing bracket PM.

nism may he driven by power. one form of means romprising a belt pulley fl. t\llt't"l to the fly wheel. in eoneentrie relation there,

with. The particular means shown f r st euring the belt pulley til. to the My wheel comprises U bolts l l. extending around the spokes of the fly wheel and passing through ears 45. formed integral with the bolt pulley.

nuts being tl'n'eaded upon the outer ends of the bolts for clamping the belt pulley to the fly wheel.

If desired a loose pulley it), may be jourshaft as for instance by means of a cotter pin. This provides tight and loose pulley arrangement. so that a continuously running' belt may he used in conne tion therewith capable of being shifted from one to the other to drive the machine or permit it. to be stopped without necessarily stopping the belt.

\Ve have also shown the gearing as arr.-mged to be driven by an electric motor 47, the pulley 48. of which is belted to the tly wheel 3-1. by a belt: 4-9; trained around the motor pulley and fly wheel as shown. Said eleetrie motor is mounted upon a supporting plate 50, one end of which is carried by an angle iron 51. secured to one leg of the tub. the other end of th "date being yieldingly supported from racket 52. as by a Compression spring 53. interposed between the bracket and underside of the plate so. The upper side of the angle iron 51. is rounded oil to permit the plate to tilt somewhat and as the plate is yielding'ly supported at its free end. mueh of the. vibration and attendant noise is dispensed with. A set screw 54. threaded in a bracket. 55. is provided for pressing the plate down against action of the spring serving at the sametime as a convenient means for tightening the belt. 19.

When power is applied to drive. the fly wheel, the mechanism referred to as the speed increasing gearing. operates as speed reducing gearing, whereby the high speed of the fly wheel is eonverted into a ttltlll'ml'iltively low speed to the stirrer shaft. and will hereinafter be referred to as speed converting gearing.

Secured to the top of the tub is a wringer board or support 53, upon whit-h may be detaehably secured an ordinary wringer. mangle or other auxiliary device containing a plurality of rolls or rotary bodies that are to be rotated in the operation of the device. it being shown here. as a wringer at The parts are so arranged that the wringer extends parallel with the axes of the variou shafts and gears. whereby the simplest form of gearing may be interposed between the gearing thus far described. and one of the. wringer rollers. 'lhe \vringer mecha nism is arranged to be driven by an element of the speed eonverting gearing. .\s shown. the wringer has the fisual rolls 5?. TN. and the shaft of one of the rolls projects out be yond the ends of the wringer frame. one end having set'lll'ed to it a pini n if and the other end being arranged f r the receptie-i1 of a erank or other dex e l'or turning the wring'er rolls by hand. either whil on the tub or detached therefrom. The haft *1. of the gear wheel 37. has secured upon ll it n end a pinion 'tt'l. that interme rhes wit it a pinion 61, journaled upon and carried by a shift lever 62, said pinion 61, inter-meshing, also, with a second pinion 68, journaled upon and carried by said shift lever 62. Two stud shafts are secured upon said shift lever and directly carry the pinion 61, 63. Said shift lever is fulcrumed upon the shaft 38, and is provided with a handle 64, by means of which it may be rocked back and forth upon its fulcrum, to throw either of the pinions 61, 63, into mesh with the pinion 59, depending upon which direction it is desired to turn said pinion 59, and its associated roll 58. Stops 65,'upon the shift lever 62, are provided for limiting its throw in either direction, said stops being arranged to engage with a post 66, that projects up from the bracket 3.), of the frame 30. A spring pressed pin 66*, guided in ears 67, upon the shift lever, is arranged to seat in any one of three sockets 68. formed in the face of a segmental plate 69. at the top of the post 66. said spring pressed pin acting to retain the shift lever in either of its three positions until said lever is forcibly moved in either direction by hand. The lower end of the pin is tapered and the sockets arecorrespondingly tapered so that the pin may be forced up and out of the socket wheii the lever is manually shifted.

All of the gears with the exception of the gear wheel 37, and pinion 36, are inclosed in gear casings, as shown, for the purpose of preventing injury to the attendant or others.

The gear casing 70 incloses the pinions 21, 27, the gear casings 71, 72, cover the teeth of the pinion 28, and gear segment 29; the gear casing 75, incloses the pinion 59., and. the lever 62, and its flanges 76, inc-loses the pinions 61, 63.

clothes chute 77, is detachably secured to the wringer 56, and projects over the top of the tub in a downwardly inclined direction, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby clothes may from the right hand side of the tub (as viewed in Figs. 1 and and delivered to the other side without contacting with the gearing above the lid. I

In the operation of the machine, the rocker member 29, is rocked back and forth either manually through the instrumentality of the handle 33; or by the electric motor, or by an engine belted to the belt pulley 13. lVhenever the machine is operated by hand, the belts are of course detached from. the machine. The rocking of the rocker member by hand causes a consequent rotary reciprocatory motion of the stirrer shaft and stirrer and a simultaneous rotation of the fly wheel at a comparatively high rate of speed. If now it be desired to employ the associated wringer or other auxiliary laundry appliance simultaneously with the washing of the clothes with be passed throughthe wringer in the tub, the shift lever is moved over to throw either pinion 61, 63, into mesh with the pinion 59, depending upon which direction, it is desired to move .the clothes. For instance if the attendant desires to wring clothes from a second tub in which they have been rinsed, the clothes are inserted atthe right hand side of the machine, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and the lever 64, shifted to the left whereby the clothes will be moved between the rolls and deposited upon and slid down the chute 77.

When the machine is to be driven by power, a beltis trained around the pulley 43, and around a pulley of some suitable prime mover, or the fly wheel 34, and belt pulley 48, are belted together by a belt 4-9, and the motor 47, set in operation. When the machine is driven by power, the pinion 36, of the fly wheel drives the gear wheel 37, which in turn reciprocates the link 40, rocking the rocker member, consequently agitating the stirrer shaft through the instrumentality of the gearing between the rocker member and stirrer shaft. The wringer or other auxiliary device may be set in motion by shifting the shift lever 64, to bring either pinion 61, 63, into mesh with the pinion 59. In the modified form shown in Figs. 13. 14, we employ a belt- 37", 'which is trained over a pulley 36, pulley 36, being fast upon the hub of the fly wheel and the pulley. 37. being fast upon the shaft 88. A belt tightener 80, is provided for takingup the slack in the belt 37*, and as shown, comprises a pi ley 81, journaled upon the end of an arm 82, ful' crumed upon a bracket 83, that extends outfrom the frame 30. A bolt 84, is shown as acting as a fulcrum for the arm, and a coil .spring 85, one end of which is secured to the stationary arm and the other to the movable arm, is provided fo'r yieldingly pressing -said pulley 81, against the belt 37.

From the above it is obvious that an extremely simple form of gearing is afforded, capable of being run by hand or by power; space is economized and the parts so -arranged that the lid can be raised and low ered without disconnecting any of the gearing, although the pinion 28, is of course moved out of mesh with the gear segn'ient 29, Whenever the lid is raised. This is. however, not objectionable, because the pinion again intermeshes with the segmental crank whenever the lid is lowered.

\Ve realize that various alterations and modifications of this device are possible without departing from the spirit ofour invention. and we do not therefore desire to limit ourselves to the exact form of construction shown and described.

we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1 In gearing for laundry machinery, the

&

combination comprising asupport, a rocker member fulcrumed thereon and having a handle and a gear segment, a stirrer shaftoperatively connected to and driven by said gear segment, a fly wheel, operative connections between said rocker member and fly wheel, including speed converting gearin and an operating device carried by said supportand operatively connected with one element of said speed. converting gearin 2. In gearing for laundry machinery, the combination comprising a support, a rotary reciprocatory stirrer shaft journaled thereon, a rocker member having a handle whereby it may be rocked manually, said rocker member being operatively connected .with the stirrer shaft so as to impart rotary reciprocatory motion thereto, a fly wheel, speed converting gearing between the rocker member and fly wheel, whereby said stirrer shaft may be manually driven from said rocker member or mechanically by power applied to the fly wheel, an operating device having rotary elements and carried by said support, gearing between said operating device and an element of the speed converting gearing, including a reversing gear, whereby the rotary elements of said device may be driven in either direction.

In gearing for laundry machinery, the

combination comprising a support, a rotaryreciprocatory stirrer shaft, a fly wheel, operative connect-ions between the fly wheel and stirrer shaft for mparting thereto a rotary reciprocatory movement, including speed converting gearing, an operating device carried by said support and having a shaft. a pinion on said shaft, a pair of intermeshing pinions, one of which is driven by an element of said speed converting gearing, and a shift lever c: rrying said pair of pinions and arranged to move either thereof into mesh with the pinion on said shaft of said operating device.

4. in gearing for laundry machinery, the combination comprising a support, a. rotary reciprocatory stirrer bhaft, a fly wheel, op crative connections between the liy wheel and stirrer shaft for imparting thereto a rotary rcciprocatory moven'ient, including speed converting gearing, an operating device carrier by said supportand having a shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a pair of intermeshing pnnons, one of which is driven by an element of said speed converting gearing, and a shift lever carrying said pair of pin ions and arranged to move either thereof into mesh with the pinion on said shaft. of said operating device, stops for limiting the throw of said shift lever and a spring pressed pin arranged to seat and hold the shift lever in either of its positions.

5. In gearing for laundry machinery, the combination comprising a support, a rocker member having a handle, and fulcrurned upon said support, a fly wheel and operative connections for transforming the rocking motion of said rocker member into a continuous motion of the fly wheel, said connections including speed increasing gearing, an operating device carried by said support and having a pair of rotary elements, a pinion connected with one of said rotary elements, gearing between said pinion and one element. of said speed increasing gearing, including a reversing gear, and a shift lever for throwing said gearing into mesh.

6. In gearing for laundry machinery, the combination, comprising a stationary support, a movable support hinged thereto. a rotary. reciprocalory. stirrer shaft carried by said movable support. an operating device secured to said stationary support, and containing a pair of rotary shafts. actuating mechanism for said stirrer shaft, and rotary shafts of said operating device, part of said actuating mechanism being mounted on said stationary support. and. the other part being mounted on said movable support, and capable of being disconnected from the part on the stationary support, an operating lever for manually operating the machine, and a motor for mccl'ninically operating the machine. said lever being or 'anged in such manner that said operating device may be operated thereby when said twopartsof the artuz'itiug mechanism are disconnected from each other.

T. In gearing for laundry nuu-hiucry, the combination comprising a support. a stirrer shaft, gearingfor imparting rotary reciprocatory motion to said stirrer shalt. including a pulley, a motor bolted to said pul-- ley and a supporting plate rarryiug said motor and hinged to said support a n end. a spring for yirldingly ilp'pmtiln1':nid plate at the other end. and a stop above [ho plate for limiting its upward raving.

3. The combination with asupport hav ing supporting logs. of a stirrer shaft. and gearing for imparting rotary reriprm-atory motion thereto. including a belt pulley. and an electric motor bolted to said pulley. a, supporting plate for said motor. a lll'ilt'ltit carried by one of said legs and pivotally supporting one end of said plate. a second brarltct carried by another or said legs and forming a support for a spring. t vomprcry sion spring interposed between said plate and second named lu'at'ltel. and an ad ustment screw hearinp against the upper face of said plate. to limit. its upward vswing.

U. ln'combination. a support. a stirrer shaft carried thereby. a rot-her member. fulcrumed thereon. for agitating said stirrer shaft. a tiy whorl iourualcd upon said support. operative connections between the rocker member and fly wheel for transforming the rocking motion of the rot-her member into a continuous rotary motion of the fly wheel, said connections including speed converting gearing, and an operating device carried by said support and driven by an element of the speed converting gearing.

10. In combination, a support, a stirrer shaft carried thereby, a rocker member fulcruined thereon, for agitating said stirrer shaft, a fly Wheel journaled upon said support, operative connections between the rocker member and fly wheel for transforming the rocking motion of the rocker member into a continuous rotary motion of the fly Wheel, said connections including speed converting gearing, an operating device carried by said support, and having a pair of rotatory elements, a train of gears betweenone of the rotary elements of said operating device and an element of said speed converting gearing, including a pair of- 0 positely rotating pinions, and 'a shift'lever or shifting either of said pair of pinions into meshwith a companion pinion on one of said totary elements, whereby the. latter may be rotatedin either direction by shifting the proper one of the pair of pinions into mesh.

11. In combination, a rotary shaft, -a pinion thereon, a pair of bodily movable intermeshing. pinions, one of which is in mesh with said first mentioned pinion, an operating device containingaepair of rotary elements, a pinion connect with one of'said rotary elements arran ed to intermesh with either of said pair 0 pinions, and a shift lever for throwing either one of said pair of pinions into mesh with said pinion of said rotary element.

12. In combination, a support, a rotatory wheel, jpu'rnaled thereon, a rocker member fulcrumed on said support, a link connection between said wheel and rocker member fortransforming the motion of one into that of the other, a rock-shaft actuated by the rocker member, a rotary reciprocatory stirrer shaft actuated by said rock shaft, a pinion driven by said wheel, a pair of bodily movable intermeshing pinions one of which is in mesh with said first mentioned pinion, an operating device carried by said support and containing a pair of rotary elements, a

pinion connected with one of said rotary elements and. arranged to intermesh with either of said pair of pinions, and a shift lever for throwing either one of said pair of pinions into mesh with said pinion of said rotary element.

13. In combination, a stationary support having a movable portion hinged to the top thereof, a stirrer shaftjournaled in said movable portion of said support, a horizontal .rockshaft journaled upon said movable portion of said support and extending at right angles to the axes of the hinges, intermeshing pinions on said stirrer shaft and rockshaft, a rocker member arranged to rock the rockshaft, a fly wheel, operative connections between the rocker member and fly wheel for transforming the motion of one to that ofthe other, and including speed convert-ing gearing, an operating device carried by the stationary portion of said support and extending parallel with said rockshaft, said 0 rating device having a pair of r0.- tary e ements, a pinion connected with one of said rotary elements and driven from one element of the speed converting gearing.

14. In combination, a stationary support having a movable portion hinged thereto at the top thereof, a stirrer shaft journa'led in I the movable portion of said support, a horizontal rockshaft actuating said stirrer shaft and extending at right angles to the axes of the hinges, an operating device carried by the stationary support and extending parallel with said rockshaft and to one side of said movable portion of said sup ort, and operating mechanism at one side oi the support, for actuating the rockshaft and operatin device, said mechanism being arranged at right angles to the rockshaft and operating device and moving through a vertical plane.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 5th day of April 1911.

ANDREW B. CHRISTENSEN. FRANK VONDRASEK.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. HEINRIQHS, AUG. Guinean. 

